What is the OV chip card?

The OV chip card is how you pay for public transport in the Netherlands. With an OV chip card, you never have to worry about purchasing different tickets for different forms of public transport. You load some credit onto the card or add a travel product such as a single trip, a monthly subscription for your commute or a route ticket.

Bank card

The OV chip card is a plastic card the size of a bank card. It fits perfectly in your wallet. There are several different types available, e.g. those issued by the NS, the GVB or the RET. You can choose between a personal and an anonymous OV chip card. An OV chip card can be recognised by its pink logo. The chip inside an OV chip card is not visible.

Your personal OV chip card includes your picture, date of birth, the validity of the card and its unique number. An anonymous OV chip card (often) includes the logo of the operator and the validity of the card.

Steffie explains the OV chip card

At www.uitlegov-chipkaart.nl, Steffie explains how travelling with an OV chip card works, using text and animations. You can also practise travelling with an OV chip card online.